Unsurprisingly, I received many. Some anon and others not, but I figure I’m going to do one massive “answer” and include everything people are asking.

Does it hurt: Yes, it hurts. The worst area to get done was, by far, the waist. If you look at the pictures, the pink part was pure hell. I told my artist I wanted to quit and just color it in with a Sharpie every morning. I half meant it. But healing is fast and relatively easy. day 1-2 is sore, raw and feels like a really angry sunburn. 3-5 is dry, tight and tollerable, 4-7 is itchy and there is peeling and did I say itchy? Like… really itchy. It was even worse for me because I couldn’t reach many of the areas to scratch, put on lotion or ointment. I was at the mercy of my husband or anyone I could corner long enough to rub me down. (It puts the lotion on my skin or else it gets the hose!)

Time for completion: Ugh. I went through 3 artists. I started it about 10 years ago, but the artist was TERRIBLE and I stopped getting work done before it went too far. Then, once I was in the Navy I found a new artist in VA who was absolutely superior, but due to ships movement and me moving back to MA, I didn’t get as much done as I wanted. Then back home I found a new artist who worked at a place that was just way too expensive. I cut a deal for 6 hours of work and didn’t go back due to price. Then the artist contacted me to let me know he was opening his own shop and that he would charge me fairly. He did. And I was happy with his work, but due to school obligation, replacing my floor and other shenanigans I either didn’t have the money or the time to allow for healing. Then he contacted me this December to let me know he was moving to NC and I panicked. ERMERGERD!!!! So I booked appointments day after day to get work done. I was going every-other day or every day. My skin was in a constant state of very VERY pissed off. Over all, hourly… I think I put in at least 24 hours with the new artist… probably around 15+ with the other two combined. So… yeah… lots of hours.

Cost: Really? I turn my body into an enormous piece of art, and the best you can think to ask me is cost? Not even worth an answer.

What is it and/or what does it represent: (I got this question a lot) It is based on this drawing by Brian Froud (a famous faery artist from the UK. He did some work with Jim Henson: he designed the creatures from The Dark Crystal and Henson built the puppets for it.)

The piece is named “The Faery of Pure Joy” which, I felt, was a good place to start. I chose wings very intentionally and I chose these precise wings for good reason. I always felt (even still) that if any creature could ever represent what I am, who I am as a person, it would be the fae. They are joyful, mischievous, curious, happy, creative, chaotic, neutral, inspiring, self-serving yet helpful, unashamed, dangerous, cunning and tricky little buggers.

The wings are ethereal on my upper back. Wispy tendrils and feathery points. That represents my happiness, my ability to rise above, see beauty and to float above the negative, always.

They are solid on my lower back and hips. Strong, bold paddles, fins and sections that represent my grounding. My need to know, to learn to understand. The deep roots of knowledge that bind me in every way. 

Colorful in every way, beautiful, indelible. Expression of my inside forever printed on my outside for those brave enough to see it.

For those not brave enough… they are just pretty wings. Awww.